Norse mythology
Norse, Viking or Scandinavian mythology is a set of indigenous pre-Christian religion, beliefs and legends of many peoples from Northern Europe (Scandinavia, Iceland, and to some extent, the British Isles). The mythology was orally transmitted in the form of poetry and our knowledge about it is mainly based on the Eddas and other medieval texts written down during and after Christianization. Some aspects of Norse mythology passed into Scandinavian folklore and have survived to modern day times. Others have recently been reinvented or reconstructed as Germanic neopaganism. The mythology also remains as an inspiration in literature as well as on stage productions and movies. It is the chore mythology of the Beauchamp Family series. Deities and creatures The Gods The Vanir The Vanir (singular: varn) are a group of gods associated with nature, fertility, wisdom and foresight. The Vanir are one of two groups of gods (the other being the Æsir) and njnlknklnlknare associated with the location As follows, here are the main Vanir that appear in the Beauchamp Family series, Njord.jpg|Njord of the Vanir God of the Seas Fanart Skadi.jpg|Skadi of the Vanir Goddess of Winter Erda.jpg|Erda of the Vanir Goddess of Nature Freyr.jpg|Freyr of the Vanir God of the Harvest Freya.jpg|Freya of the Vanir Goddess of Love The most commonly known Vanir are Njord and his children, twins Freya and Freyr. Skadi, originally a Jöttun goddess (a Giantess), was only affiliated to the Vanir by marriage with Njord. Erda is only a minor divinity who appeared very late in folklore - often to be confused with Jörd, Thor's mother. Other Vanir deities appear in Norse myths, among which: *Nerthus, Fertility Goddess, sister and first wife of Njord and mother of Freya and Freyr. *Gerðr, a Jöttun considered a vanr after her marriage with Freyr. *Frigg, Goddess of Marriage, who is considered an ásynja (Aesir) in the book series, was supposedly a vanr (often another depiction of the Goddess Freya). The Aesir The Aesir (singular: áss; feminine: ásynja) are a group of gods associated with power and war. The Aesir are one of two groups of gods (the other being the Vanir) and are associated with the location Asgard. As follows, here are the main Aesir that appear in the Beauchamp Family series, Odin.jpg|Odin of the Aesir King of the Gods Frigg.jpg|Frigg of the Aesir Goddess of Marriage Baldr.jpg|Baldr of the Aesir God of Light Thor.jpg|Thor of the Aesir God of Thunder Loki.jpg|Loki of the Aesir God of Mischief In Norse myths, Odin is the King of the Gods and the father of both Thor and Baldr, born from two different marriages. Frigg is sometimes considered an ásynja and sometimes a vanr (in this case, she is often depicted as another version of the Goddess Freya). Loki, very present in Norse myths, was however never a God, but a giant. Other Vanir deities appear in Norse myths, among which: *Snötra, Frigg's daughter and the goddess of Wisdom. Strangely, her name is used for Arthur Beauchamp, the God of the Forest in the books. *Sif, the Goddess of Prosperity, and wife of Thor. *Ullr is the son of Sif and an unknown giant. Skadi eventually married Ullr after she left Njord. *Tyr, the God of War, and another son of Odin. *Bragi, the son of Odin and Frigg and the God of Poetry. *Hoder, the twin brother of Baldr, who was blind and used in a plot to kill his brother. *Heimdall, son of Odin and keeper of the Bofrir/Bifrost bridge. *Vidar, son of Odin and god Vengeance. A character named after him appears in the TV series. Other species Giants Giants, or Jötnar (singular: jötunn), are creatures from Norse myths associated with the worlds of Jötunheimr (frost giants) and Muspelheim (fire giants). They were often said to be the ultimate enemies of the Gods, but more often than not, they mingled with them. They represent the forces of the primeval chaos and of the untamed, destructive nature. Angrboda.jpg|Angrboða Loki's Consort Jormungandr.jpg|Jörmungandr the World Serpent Hel.jpg|Hel Goddess of Death Gerdr.jpg|Gerðr Goddess of Light The giants, or jötnar, are led by the most well-known of them all, Loki, who is often thought to be a God. From his union with Angrboða, Loki had three children: Fenrir, Jörmungandr and Hel. Two other famous jötnar who appear in the book series are Skadi, a frost giantess who married Njord, and Gerðr, who became Freyr's wife. Another important Jötunn, Jörd, is the Mother Goddess of Earth and the mother of Thor with Odin. She is also considered the mother of the Norns and one with the sight. In other texts, her name can be found as "Erda". Valkyries Elves Cosmology The Tree of Life The Nine Worlds Asgard.jpg|Asgard Vanaheim.jpg|Vanaheim Midgard.jpg|Midgard Jotunheim.jpg|Jotunheim Helheim.jpg|Helheim History and myths Baldr and Loki Bofrir bridge Ragnarök Notes * Category:Out of Universe